ghostintheshellfandomcom-20200213-history
Transcript:Angel's Poem
Batou: Berlin, a city where decay and renewal exist side by side. This is one of the few cosmopolitan areas that's earned the unenviable distinction of being targeted by missile attacks in both Nuclear World War III and Non-nuclear World War IV. But Berlin holds a huge amount of significance for the Germanic people. After each war, the city has undergone a drastic revival. And now for the third time it's getting back on its feet as the capital of this country. DI: Angel's Poem; TRANS PARENT Batou: Obviously state-of-the-art Kyo-re type-3003 thermoptic camo can't fool a dog's sense of smell. Motoko: Batou, what do you think you are doing? You keep screwing around, and you'll regret it. Batou: Sorry, but hey, I can't help it. I'm not cut out for these long-term surveillance gigs anyway. Besides, the snow couldn't be falling at a crappier time. It makes our optical camouflage more visible. Motoko: There aren't many people qualified for an intense surveillance op like this, so you were chosen. Batou: Hey, let's get this damn thing done and head home... Motoko: This assignment will be over in a few days, be patient. Okay. I'm going now. This channel's probably encrypted, but there's no guarantee that we won't be back-hacked. Return to your post on the double. Batou: I know, I know... Even with sensory organs turned off, the cold here still cuts you to the bone. I'm amazed you got here so fast. I assume there must have been a direct flight from Taiwan. Motoko: As a matter of fact, I stopped off at Hong Kong, and had them put me on the next plane here. What surprises me about this whole thing, though, is that they're going after such a major target with a mixed team. Batou: Yeah. When the Chief told me the details about this op, I honestly thought for a second there he was pulling my leg. Still, this guy who calls himself "Angel's Feathers" is pretty notorious, he's a big-name terrorist who's only hit summit meetings of the developed nations so far. And I bet the reason they're going with a setup like this is to ensure that each country gets some of the credit for capturing the SOB. Motoko: Yeah, and they requested you and me for the job by name. Considering the timing of this overseas op, I'd assume that the recommendation came from the Cabinet Intelligence Service. Batou: Hmmm. Roland: All right everyone, let's begin the briefing for this operation. First, I'd like for you to take a look at this. The name of this man here is Angelica. He claims to be a distributor of full prosthetic bodies. Nationality, Dutch. Due to a certain occurrence, though, we discovered that he was in fact a terrorist, Angel's Feathers, someone I'm sure you've all heard of. He racked up the highest death toll in history that resulted from one bombing. D-1: What occurrence are you referring to, sir? Roland: Let me explain by starting from the beginning. We've learned that the criminal ideology and criminal MO of Angel's Feathers are consistent. He vehemently denounces the fact that only a handful of leading nations monopolize the authority over global decision making. He then announces his intention to bomb a glass-walled highrise located in the very country that's hosting the summit. He acquired the nick name "Angel's Feathers" from the storm of glass shards that rain down when the blast occurs and the resulting high body count. Of course, the countries hosting the summits have responded to the threats by enacting strict security protocol. However, it's proven impossible to prevent a terrorist bombing that could take place anywhere in the country. So, with that in mind, the investigating authorities attempted to pick his face out from the IR logs of the buildings that had been bombed. But because he's full prosthetic, this man can change his face at will. Each time he's been an entirely different person. That's why the identity of Angel's Feathers has never become part of the official line of inquiry in this matter so far. Motoko: Well if that's the situation, how do you know that his body is prosthetic? Roland: Hm, the truth is, something happened two months ago. A doctor in the Netherlands who specialized in prosthetic body was performing an operation. During a body swap procedure, he accidentally put one of his patients into a coma. Some memories were discovered in the patient's mind that led the surgeon to suspect that the man might be Angel's Feathers. According to the report by the Dutch doctor, Among the extracted memories were those regarding details about terrorist bombings. They were acts that the man had carried out. There was also facial data from the prosthetic bodies that he swapped into before each terrorist event. Any questions? D-1: Facial data that you found in a memory of the patient. Did it match anyone from the logs of the bombed buildings? Roland: It matched every last one of them. After agonizing for several days over whether to choose his professional ethics or his morals, the doctor reported the incident to the local police. D-1: It's unfortunate that he didn't contact them sooner. Roland: I know what you mean, however I can't fault the man for that. Batou: I follow you up to that point. Since you already have all this information, why have we been brought here to Berlin? The summit scheduled for next month will be in Leeds? Roland: An excellent question. The investigating authorities ran a match of this man's past facial data against the IR Systems in every major airport in the world. What they discovered, was that just prior to carrying out one of his bombing, Angel's Feathers always makes a stop in Berlin. After arriving here, he waits until two days before the attack, then he leaves out of Tegel International Airport for his target. In the case of the Shanghai summit, it was February 17th, 2028. Right before the Moscow summit, it was November 25, 2029. And for the Paris summit, it was July 13, 2030. In each instance he departed Berlin two days before the meetings took place. This we know, for some reason, he's repeated this pattern three times in the past. Angel's Feathers has not shown any ordinary behavior other than the M.O. of his bomb attacks. We're dealing with a man whose pattern is very unusual. Motoko: Do you know what route he's using to enter Berlin? Roland: That's one thing we do not know. But for whatever purpose, he's consistently stopped here in Berlin just before proceeding to each of the intended targets of his bombings. Based on his past actions, there's a high probability that he will come to Berlin and stay for a period of several days just prior to the summit. It's safe to assume that the name and prosthetic body he will be using during that time are the same as those in this data file. This is our first, and best, chance that we've ever had to catch him. While he's here, we'll use that window of opportunity to do whatever is necessary to apprehend this man. Batou: Hmph, and this is his idea of "whatever is necessary" huh? I'm this close to asking to be taken off of this damn op... I don't know why, but dogs just don't seem to like me. It's that girl again. Where's she heading to all by herself at this hour? And out in the snow, to boot... HQ: This is headquarters checking in. All personnel in sector D, report status. D-1: D-1, no sign of target. Nothing unusual to report. D-2: D-2, no sign of target. Possibility of concealment, zero. Motoko: D-3, no sign of target. Nothing to report. Batou: D-4, no sign of target. Nothing unusual to report. HQ: HQ, roger. All personnel, maintain stakeouts and continue surveillance. One way or another, this operation will end in two days. If Angel's Feathers doesn't turn up here, the authorities in Leeds will take over the op, and the investigation reverts back to being a hunt for a faceless terrorist. Carry out your mission with all due diligence. Let's make sure this chance doesn't slip through our fingers. D-1: - Roger that. - Roger that. HQ: D-4, I didn't copy. Batou: Roger that. Batou: This really ain't my kind of op. "Invisible Monsters Witnessed at Train Stations and Airports," huh? Looks as if I am not the only one around here who's bored out of his mind... "Asian Refugees declare Japan's Dejima region to be an Autonomous Zone"... Seems like things are getting pretty ugly at home... What's the deal with that girl? Does she recognize me from last night? Even if she does, I don't know how... Theresia: Tell me, Angel? I want to know. It's been nearly two weeks since I received his e-mail. Why won't Papa show himself to me yet? Batou: "Papa"? Theresia: But, I can feel him near me. He must have other important business to deal with. Huh? Who's there? Batou: Are her senses that sharp? Theresia: I wonder if it's...? Oh... Batou: A nursing home... Geez, was she able to see me all the way from here? Theresia: You know Angel, I've always told papa not to get me anything, there's nothing I want. This time, there is something I want. I think papa will come home again in another new prosthetic body. What I want is... Nurse: Theresia, could you come down here for a minute? Theresia: Yes! Batou: Her mail? Angelica: It's Papa. I'll come see you sometime in the next two weeks. Let's meet at the usual church. Batou: There's no real time stamp on the message? Sorry, kid, but I gotta take a quick look-see. Man, I can barely read her handwriting "July 12, 2030." "Papa came tonight. Met at the chapel in the church." "November 24, 2029." "Papa came back, just like he promised." "Christmas arrived a month early." "He had a gift for me in the chapel. It was a cashmere coat." "On February 11, 2028." She wrote, "I just got a message from Papa out of the blue." "Met inside the chapel in the church. He gave me a pair of mittens as a present." They match up. Each of those dates was a day before Angelica left Berlin. Wait, this is... "If papa comes back with a new prosthetic body and I don't recognize him, we have a secret password." "'What's the angel planning to do today?'" "He sets out to rain down his feathers all across the world"... Meaning. This girl is Angel's Feathers' own daughter?! HQ: This is headquarters checking in. All personnel in sector D, report status. D-1: D-1, no sign of target. Possibility of concealment, zero. D-2: D-2, no sign of target. Possibility of concealment, zero. Motoko: D-3, no sign of target. Nothing unusual to report. HQ: D-4, why have you changed location? Batou: Well, there's a pack of stray mutts over there. Even a type-3003 won't hide me from a dog's nose. HQ: If you're going to change position, report in first. You'll get your orders once you confirm your status. Batou: Roger... Are you trying to repent for all the innocent lives you've taken? Angelica: Who's there? Batou: Angelica! That's right, we know who you are, Angel's Feathers. Don't make this difficult. Angelica: You made a mistake. I'm not ... Batou: Don't even. We've got the intel to prove that you're him. Otherwise, cops wouldn't be waiting here for you, would they? Am I right? You killed so many for the sake of your self-centered ideology, yet you still want to be a regular old dad to your little girl? All the places you bombed and showered with those piercing shards of glass, you can bet there were mothers and children there waiting for some presents, too. So if you think you can commit wholesale murders for your terrorist cause then keep on seeing your kid as if nothing happened, you're out of your mind! Sorry, pal, but you're never gonna see your daughter again in this life or the next. Angelica: Yes, you're right. I suppose I won't. Hey, since you mentioned, do you know my daughter? I need a favor. I don't want it for me but for her. If you know who she is, would you please give her that package? And when you tell her it's from papa, it's something she's been dying for. Batou: Major? Motoko: Don't tell me you felt sorry for the guy. I was planning to hand back and watch, but you got sloppy in the end! Batou: I'm sorry. Ah, how did you find me? Motoko: I knew there was no way to use a Ghost infiltration key on you like that time I did on Togusa. Batou: So I simply did a back-hack on your optical elements. But when did you... Motoko: Had you been on the ball since our transmission yesterday, you would've spotted it. As soon as we contact headquarters and they come collect this guy, the operation is over. We're going back to Japan. Theresia: Papa? Are you here? I heard some loud noises just now. Did something happen? Batou: Wait a minute, you couldn't possibly see me... You are blind all along? Theresia: Who's there? Papa? Papa, it's you, isn't it? I can tell. Please, Papa? Ah! Papa? I'm scared. Where are you? Say something. Y-You're there, aren't you? Papa, what's the angel planning to do today? What's the angel planning to do today? Batou: The angel... Theresia: The angel? Batou: The angel... ...isn't... Theresia: Oh? Batou: planning to go anywhere. Category:Transcripts